Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-21

nature 10 watch the operaUlOns or the
Washers. Most of their faces are as
familiar to mp town people as the Fifth
Avenue hotel Their mode Of life is SIM
pie Take, for instance, q cold and auStere
nan, with blonde mustache, regular
profile, square shoulders and careless car
riage, who has been more or less famous
about town for fifteen years. He has q
scar running diagonally across his fore
| head. and Just above it is q single lock or
I "splash'' of hair that is as white as
snow, though the rest of his hair is dark
/ have heard it enviably remarked by
other Washers that this gentleman's chief
! success is due to the immobility Of his
face, the yellowness of his mustache, the
wilderness Of the splash and the dark mass
| of hair which throws it into such sharp
| relief He is, in fact, known as Ellis
Contrasts in some quarters. Fifteen
years ago a woman followed him in q cab
down Fifth avenue, slipped out as he
assembled the steps of rivals
house, ran up the steps, and pushing a
revolver against his head, blazed away.
The bullet, instead of going through the
skull, ran across the forehead. She went
to Europe in the arms of her amiable
husband, and His Contrasts retired
into painful obscurity for a time. Five
years after that he was mixed up in a
row which is still talked about by old
timers II was three cornered fight
one woman and two men-in the cabin Of
yacht in the lower bay. When they
dragged Ellis Contrasts out he was
pretty well knocked to pieces. Two ribs
were broken, and his general physical
welfare very sensibly impaired, but he
came up smiling, as usual. Ihave known
him for many years. He has but one
object in life.
His manner of living varies little from
day to day have had many opportuni-
ties for observing him, as we once had
neighboring apartments in the same hotel,
and he used to amuse himself when he
had an occasional half hour of leisure
from his arduous duties by turning the
pictures in my room wrong side foremost,
bribing the chambermaid TO sew the
hangings into all sorts of grotesque posi-
tons, Ittering my desk with violent tele-
grams and indulging in various othe.
cheerful and endearing pranks. At 10
o'clock every morning the chambermaid
pounded loudly ct his door.
If the tattoo was loud enough the door
would open suddenly, there would be
wild scream and pattering OF feet as the
chambermaid scudded out of danger, and
the masher would rush out into the hall
clad in pajarnas, hath robes, nigh,cap, felt
slippers, and carrying a sponge the size Of
bushel basket. He would then wander
in a more or less desultory way toward the
bathroom. stopping to pound on doors that
caught his iightsome fancy, and shying
boots through the transons of rooms
where men lived who had the distinguished |
misfortune TO possess his friendship
About an hour and a half later he |
would wander into the n.in dining room |
of the hotel cast his experienced eye over |
the people assembled there aud eat very /
light breakfast He wore frock suit al |
day long. and his tailor made half dozen |
4 year for him. After breakfast he in |
variably lighted big cigar, and. il the /
weather was clear, strolled Up Fifth |
avenue as far as Central park, and smiled /
aniably upon the troops OF pretty girls
who were out with their goverpessses,
nurses. companions. and chaperones, tax
ING the morning air. Every gu over 10
years Of age apparently knew hs history,
for they would stare az him and peep
over their shoulders as he passed. IN a
fashion that would -tarIle society actor.
At half past / or O'Clock be drifted
slowly into DalmOnico's. scanned the
faces. acknowledged the surly mods Of
other Washers with short inclination Of
bis head nseked ous his tAols with urdsu-